NEW YORK, USA – New York City remains optimistic about its tourism outlook for 2026. Julie Coker, President and CEO of NYC Tourism + Conventions, said during an interview at IPW 2026 that the city could welcome 12.9 million international visitors this year, surpassing the 12.5 million recorded in 2025.

However, Coker noted that those projections were made before the recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East related to the conflict involving Iran, and that international travel trends will continue to be closely monitored.

"If the situation lasts longer than anticipated, we believe it could have an impact on international visitation," she said.

One market receiving particular attention is Canada. New York welcomed 983,000 Canadian visitors in 2024, a figure that dropped to 796,000 in 2025, representing a decline of nearly 19%. Even so, Canada remains the city's second-largest international source market, behind only the United Kingdom.

To support recovery efforts, NYC Tourism + Conventions recently conducted a media and trade mission in Toronto and Montreal. According to Coker, there are signs that Canadian travelers' sentiment toward the United States is gradually improving.

"We continue to invest in Canada because it is an extremely important market for New York City," she said.

Regarding the impact of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, for which New York and New Jersey will serve as major host locations, Coker acknowledged that hotel bookings linked to the tournament have not yet reached the levels initially expected.

Hotel data showed that bookings for June and July were down 8% year-over-year at the end of March, although that gap narrowed to 6% during April.

According to Coker, many fans are waiting for their national teams' match schedules before finalizing travel plans, which could result in a surge of last-minute bookings.

"We believe we will see some short-term pickup. The good news is that New York City already enjoys strong summer demand, so our hotels are in a favorable position," she explained.

Coker also emphasized New York City's strategic role as the primary gateway to the United States. According to NYC Tourism + Conventions, 42% of international visitors arriving in the country begin their U.S. journey in New York City.

"We have a tremendous responsibility in representing the United States to the world. New York is a diverse, inclusive and welcoming destination, offering unique experiences across all five boroughs," she said.

Maintaining that global leadership, however, is no easy task. Coker pointed out that New York competes not only with major U.S. destinations such as Washington, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco, but also with leading international tourism capitals including London, Paris, Tokyo and Lisbon.

"Remaining the nation's top hotel market requires creativity, innovation and a constant commitment to maintaining our position as one of the world's most visited cities," she concluded.